Fertility
What You Can Do This National Infertility Awareness Week
Eloise Edington | 21 Apr 2022
This year’s National Infertility Awareness Week is April 24-30.
Founded in 1989 by Resolve: The National Infertility Association, NIAW aims to empower those trying to conceive and improve the conversation around infertility.
But my goodness it’s hard to feel empowered when struggling with fertility! And it feels impossible to muster the energy to educate others on how to talk about infertility when you’re knee-deep in fertility appointments, IVF medication and pregnancy tests.
At Fertility Help Hub, we fully empathise. We, too, have been through fertility struggles and know how hopeless the journey can feel.
Yet like any awareness week, NIAW is a good opportunity to recalibrate and refocus: how can we raise awareness of infertility and fertility difficulties and support others along this journey?
To consider ways we can help, let’s look at the key aims of NIAW.
- Help the public to understand that infertility is deserving of attention.
- Inform those trying to conceive of the guidelines for seeing a fertility specialist.
- Provide high-quality and accurate information to lawmakers about the impacts of infertility.
These are worthy aims and at FHH, we’re tirelessly and enthusiastically raising public awareness, connecting those in need of fertility support with fertility experts and fertility clinics and providing high-quality fertility information and advice from a place of experience.
We know change often doesn’t happen overnight although we can all play our part in raising the profile of infertility and dispelling myths that are so rife in the fertility space.
So, what can you do this NIAW to raise awareness of infertility?
Share information with others
When you’re TTC, talking with others about fertility struggles can feel difficult, so find someone or something else to do the explaining for you.
- On social media, you could share a post that resonates with you to help communicate the realities of (in)fertility.
- Share an article with a friend or family member if you can’t find the words or energy to explain the details of fertility treatment or the emotional distress that can accompany fertility difficulties.
- Get in touch with local groups to help raise awareness of fertility difficulties. Perhaps reach out to local schools and ask if they’d like external speakers to help enhance fertility teaching through sex and relationships lessons.
- Share your story and add to the richness of journeys to parenthood. To share a story on our blog, message our Editor, Holly, on the FHH Instagram (we can’t feature every story, but we’d still love to hear from you).
Wear orange
For NIAW, Resolve advocates the use of orange to raise awareness: “The color orange promotes a sense of wellness and compassion, passion, and warmth.”
Fertility communities are notoriously compassionate and we are with one another every step of a fertility journey; through the highs and lows.
Wear a small orange bow, a bright orange T-shirt or an orange sundress. Whatever you choose to wear, try and add a flourish of orange.
Find out more about #WearOrange here.
Raise money for a fertility charity
Do you have a favourite fertility or donor conception charity? Why not come together with friends to raise money? A yard sale, bake sale, charity walk are all predictable ways to earn funds for charities. Speak with friends about what you and your community love to inspire creative ways to support fertility charities.
If this feels too much, just get through the week
If all you do during NIAW is survive the week without feeling overwhelmed, that’s absolutely fine. But know there is a fertility community to support you, whether you’re sharing exciting news or disappointments.
Download our free FHH app here to connect with others TTC, going through similar experiences.
